It is summer time and that means beach time. If you and your family enjoy a vacation in a place with beautiful beaches, consider the east coast of Florida where you will find some of the finest white sand beaches and some that are left the way nature made them. All the gorgeous beaches that I will describe here are on waters of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of Florida. The Florida beaches below are listed in alphabetical order and I included the county for each one to give you an idea as to where they are located. (Photo credit: visitusa.com.)

Atlantic Beach
Considered the most popular beach out of three Jacksonville area beaches, Atlantic beach dates back to 1900 when Henry Flagler first built a depot for his east coast Railway. It is not only a beautiful beach but also very popular and the town people just make everyone feel welcome. Atlantic beach is located in Duval County and is part of the Jacksonville beaches community. (Photo credit: flickr.)

Bethune Beach
Also called New Smyrna beach, is a stretch of sand along the south end of New Smyrna and about ten miles south of Ponce Inlet. It is located in Volusia County and with its 13.2 miles of gorgeous white sand it has become a popular vacation place for many families as well as tourists. Seven miles of this beach are marked ‘transitional zone’ where you can drive and park your vehicle well off to the dunes or even the seawalls.

Cocoa Beach
Cocoa beach is one of my favorite beaches, and it is jut 15 minutes from my home. It is part of Brevard County and located on a barrier island nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River. Cocoa beach is a popular vacation destination and thousands of people flock to it every year. The reason for this is that it is just an hour east of Orlando which makes it a convenient get away from the theme park attractions; it is 20 minutes away from Kennedy Space Center with its breathtaking shuttle launches, and a 10 minute drive to Port Canaveral where all the cruise ships leave from to their destinations. At Port Canaveral, you can also enjoy Vegas style casino cruises twice a day for a short sail into the Atlantic and the enjoyment of your favorite games and live entertainment. While at Cocoa beach, a visit to the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop is a must! (Photo credit: ed-and-rita.com.)

Daytona Beach
The famous Daytona Beach located in Volusia County is not just for spring breakers, but it is also a great vacation destination for families with lots of activities to enjoy. Here you and your family can enjoy days of surfing, jogging, walking, bicycling and plenty of volleyball. It is one of the few beaches where you can drive your car right on the beach. Daytona Beach is where car racing took place in the early 1900s and it is still going strong today. Another attraction that is quite big at Daytona Beach is Bike Week where thousands of bikers from all walks of life gather for a week of sun and fun.

Fernandina Beach
Fernandina Beach is located in Nassau County, Florida (not to be confused with Nassau County in New York City.) at the northern end of Amelia Island and it marks the beginning of Florida’s first coast. This part of Florida is designated as a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places. This is another beach that has become popular for families to enjoy some sun, fun and relaxation.

Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach is located in Volusia County and if you are looking to have a relaxed and peaceful beach vacation, then this beach is for you. Often called the land that time forgot, Flagler Beach dates back to the 1920′s and not too many restorations have been made since then. Yet, lots of people love this beach and consider it “the best kept secret” because of the lack of interest from the outside world.

Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is located in Broward County and often called the “Venice of America” because it has it all. Here you will find approximately 300 miles of waterways that stretch south to Miami winding through gorgeous estates, citrus groves and the exotic everglades. Fort Lauderdale attracts sun seekers from all over the world and while some people think that this area is only for the rich and famous, there are places that offer a wide variety of accommodations for every budget. Here you can find a variety of small inexpensive family run inns and also the expensive deluxe resorts. (Photo credit: florida.com.)

Miami South Beach
Miami South Beach, also know as Miami Beach is in Dade County and it is called “America’s Riviera because of its magnificent art deco structures. Many years ago, more than 800 art deco structures were built on the southern tip of Miami Beach. Today, the area reflects bright neon lights, confetti like colors, and sleek aerodynamic lines making the Art Deco the center piece of the beach. Don’t worry about keeping the family busy as the beach is big enough for everyone and there are lots of activities such as volleyball, kite flying and plenty of sunshine for the family to enjoy.

Playalinda Beach
Playalinda Beach is in Brevard County and located within the Cape Canaveral National Seashore and one of the few beaches in Florida where nude sunbathing is still a practice. Some people visit Playalinda out of curiosity to see if what they’ve heard is correct. What I will tell is that Florida law does not allow nudity in public places. There is an ordinance for Brevard County against nudity on the books but I guess it is not enforced and nude sunbathing is still going on. My advice is that if nude sunbathing offends you, just don’t go there. (Photo credit: cfnews13.com.)